G8/NATO

SO, Chicago will be hosting the G8 and NATO summits this Spring, but you already knew that. While it is unlikely that world leaders will be popping by your theatres, we should get ready. There will be a number of people from the foreign delegations in Chicago working on the summits throughout the month of May but more than that, I think it is an opportunity for us to generate discussions, plays, readings, and performance pieces around the topics that are typically discussed at these summits. Wouldn’t it be great if we could all get our audiences talking about global issues?

The League will be developing a page on our website of activities, discounts, etc. to run throughout the month of May, so please submit your events and offers to us (ben@chicagoplays.com). It can be anything, you can do a discount or tell us about your talkbacks, but it would be awesome if everyone came up with something that related somehow to the G8/NATO summits. We want to draw attention to theatre as a catalyst for examination of our world and the possibility of change.

During the month of May we will also be running a variation on our popular SHOWGO! program called SHOWGO8! See 8 shows during the month of May and win a $50 restaurant gift certificate. We won’t be doing the cards for this one – simply bring your 8 proofs of purchase to Hot Tix.

The Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture and the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau are both undertaking efforts to point journalists in the direction of culture as one of the highlights of Chicago. We will make sure that they know about your efforts.

Here are some things you may or may not know but I didn’t until a few days ago and you might find useful. The G8 Summit begins at Noon on Saturday May 19 and runs through Noon on Sunday May 20. The NATO Summit begins at 2:00 PM on Sunday May 20 and runs through 2:00 PM on Monday May 21. Specific street closings and security measures will not be announced until 2-4 weeks before the summit begins.

Questions?? Suggestions?? You know where I am.

Deb